What to expect at my first Surgical Oncologist appt.

[kody_b]

I recently had a vaginal ultrasound which showed a mass that was mostly solid with irregular borders. My gynecologist suggested a blood test called ROMA and it came out high. She has referred me to a surgical oncologist but hasn't told me anything about what to expect or any sort of diagnosis. I am assuming that I have a malignant tumor on my ovary and this waiting is giving me so much anxiety. Can anyone tell me what steps were taken prior to your diagnosis?

[Newbie_2020]

You are on the right track with this referral to a specialist oncologist who will discuss the current results with you and will explain what the situation might be.

The ultrasound give an indication but the oncologist may ask for a scan and MRI or even a biopsy to confirm what the nature of the solid mass is. Please try not to worry for now and until all results are out. Once all results are in hand, the oncologist will discuss them with you and present you with a suitable plan for the treatment.

[kody_b in reply to Newbie_2020]

Thank you for the reassurance. I really appreciate you taking the time to respond. Many blessings to you.

[Newbie_2020 in reply to kody_b]

I hope all goes well for you and you'll feel much better soon.

[Mendy24 in reply to Newbie_2020]

Be patient, breathe and keep a positive attitude It may be a process of more scans and blood work then surgery.

Write any and all questions down that you want answered. It’s ok to question the doctor until you’re ok with the answers given. You have to be an advocate for yourself! Must important remember you can get thru this! 💕

[GwenHP]

Please make sure to ask the surgeon if he is a certified gynecologic oncologist. They are the only ones trained to do the kind of debunking surgery that is needed if you have ovarian cancer.

[GwenHP]

When I was told by my gynocologist that I likely had ovarian cancer and that I needed to go to a gynecologic oncologist, I felt like a deer in the headlights. I was frozen. I didn’t know what to think or do. I talked with my parents, both cancer survivors at the time and they gave me advice born from their experiences. Mom’s advice was to take gentle and living care of myself with a list of suggestions. My dad’s was to remember statistics don’t apply to individuals. I was a sample of one and I was going to go into remission, be cured or whatever independent of a 1000 cases. That’s what finally got me back on track.

Start now by getting copies of all your records whenever you have anything done - test results, scan reports, surgical reports, and pathology reports etc and keep them organized in a folder. You don’t have to understand all of the jargon but having the records will make it easier for you to get help or second opinions. And it will help you to advocate for yourself going forward. We’re here to help you navigate all the new information that is going to be thrown at you if indeed it turns out to be ovarian cancer.

I totally can relate to your anxiety. I was told on Jan 3 2005 that I likely had ovarian cancer but wasn’t able to have the surgery done until Feb 5 2005. That was one of the longest months of my life. Something that helped me was listening to soothing music and meditation/visualization tapes.

Best wishes to you. Gwen.